Kathy Hilton Wants to Work with Kyle Richards More

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Kathy Hilton has been connected to reality television for over 20 years. Her daughter, Paris, was one of the first stars of the genre with The Simple Life. Her sisters, Kyle and Kim Richards, have been central figures on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for almost 15 years, and Kathy has appeared on the show, either as a guest or in a supporting role, since the very beginning. She says she typically works only two or three days a week.

When she’s on TV, Hilton fully commits to a deliberately quirky and eccentric persona – fans find her humor delightfully odd, even when it doesn’t quite make sense. She famously mistook the phrase “Hunky-Dory” for a person (claiming it was a joke that Sutton Stracke missed), and once brought a bizarre collection of snacks and energy drinks to help her sleep. However, Hilton insists she’s aware of how she’s perceived. She acknowledges people think she’s a little crazy, but she doesn’t believe she’s unintelligent, and she’s okay with the way the show portrays her.

What does success look like for you? I don’t think anyone in this industry ever truly feels secure, because things can change quickly and unexpectedly.

I spent my first paycheck on two dogs – a pair of small poodles named Boo Boo and Tiffany. They were both fully grown, about a year and fourteen months old. I usually ask my husband before making big purchases, but I decided to splurge. It was my birthday, and I wanted to treat myself!

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If you had to sum up your character in five words, what would you say? I wouldn’t call myself ditzy, but my friend says I’m a bit quirky.

This is the first time I’ve truly felt like I could just be myself. But it’s important to remember that moments are often presented in a certain way. I understand the ‘Hunky-Dory’ situation – I’ve explained it many times. My intention was simply to cheer Sutton up and make her laugh, but that didn’t quite work out. The way the other women reacted at the table was actually amusing, though. That wasn’t what you asked, but I wanted to make sure that was clear.

If I had to pick a defining moment from my career, it would likely be either the time I said “Hunky-Dory” or “homeless and toothless.” I meant what I said – I’ve genuinely worked with people experiencing homelessness and helped them access dental care.

Have you ever felt like viewers didn’t understand you? Sometimes people think I’m silly, but I don’t think I’m unintelligent. It’s often how things are edited, and that’s okay. I get nervous, like when I was on Wheel of Fortune. I used to play that game all the time at home while getting ready – I could usually answer the questions. But when I was actually on the show, I got stressed and confused by all the sounds. I blurted out ‘I’ll take 500’ because I saw that number somewhere, and Ryan Seacrest had to point out I was playing the wrong game! We all laughed it off, but I do get intimidated sometimes.

If you could magically trade lives with someone on a reality TV show right now, who would it be? Well, I don’t watch TV at all—not reality TV, regular shows, or even movies. I prefer reading, browsing Pinterest, shopping on eBay, and using Instagram.

I’m really into home decor! I collect chairs and love things like ceramics, furniture, fabrics, flowers, and porcelain – basically anything that makes a house a home. I have a lot of Pinterest boards dedicated to these interests.

Everyone wonders which reality stars are genuine on TV and who’s putting on an act. As for my experience, I don’t film with all of the cast. I typically work only two or three days a week, and you’ll notice I usually film with just one or two people at a time. The other cast members are often filming something different elsewhere. People frequently ask about Dorit, but I haven’t filmed with her this season, so I honestly don’t know what’s going on with her, and even if I did, I wouldn’t share it.

Let me tell you this: these women are genuinely themselves, and they fall in love naturally. They’re not putting on an act. People assume things are staged or fake, but that’s not the case. I’m just an observer, a friend, and I can honestly say this is true. No one is controlling them or telling them what to do. I actually expected this to happen, and I made sure I wouldn’t let anyone manipulate the situation. They simply connect with each other on their own.

Do you think every good reality TV show needs a villain? 
That’s what I’ve been told.

It really warms my heart when fans tell me how much they enjoy watching me. I had such a blast on that trip, especially messing around with Kyle and those pretend martinis – just water, but everyone thought they were the real deal! And honestly, I was getting a lot of attention – it was hilarious seeing everyone try to outdo me, ordering fancy drinks and everything. It was just a really fun time, and I loved every minute of it.

The show Real Housewives of Beverly Hills used to focus on having a clear ‘villain,’ but things have changed. While drama is good, it doesn’t always need to come from conflict. Given everything happening in the world, people are looking for escapism – something beautiful and funny to enjoy while staying home.

When asked what he misses most about life before becoming famous, the speaker said that people are consistently kind to him and he doesn’t have any real complaints. He believes it’s important to be approachable – if people support your work by watching, attending events, or buying merchandise, you shouldn’t then put up barriers like security guards when they simply want to say hello.

If I had to pick a favorite Paris Hilton song, it would be “Heartbeat,” though “Stars Are Blind” is a classic everyone knows and loves.

Working with my sister has been a really positive experience, although we wish we had more time to just hang out together. It’s definitely more enjoyable when we collaborate.

If you and Kyle were to star in a show like The Simple Life, what jobs would you choose? I always dreamed of working at McDonald’s when I was little – making fries and milkshakes would be so fun! I’d also love to work at Jack in the Box and use silly voices to playfully mess with customers, maybe even repeating their order back to them incorrectly.

When do you begin preparing for the Christmas party? I usually start pulling things out around the end of August. I also need to declutter a bit, as my decorations have really accumulated!

When hosting a dinner party and knowing two guests dislike each other, a common challenge is deciding where to seat them. I usually place them on the same side of the table, but with a few people separating them. Alternatively, I’ll set up a couple of round tables in the entryway, which guests often enjoy. This allows me to host three tables of eight, while my husband relaxes in another room with the connecting door open, creating a more spacious and social atmosphere.

If we were planning a group trip, I’d choose London. I absolutely love it and I’m really familiar with the city. Plus, I could show the others around and make sure everyone has a great time, especially those who haven’t been before.

When people ask about the most memorable reality TV fights, the one between Kyle and Lisa Vanderpump always comes to mind, though I’m not sure it’s the best. We usually avoid discussing work stuff – we’re both busy and prefer to chat about family and personal lives. But when I heard about what happened between them, I couldn’t believe it. I asked if she’d actually gone to her house, and she said she had! I was completely shocked, especially by how it all ended. It was just…wow, really unbelievable.

People often seem to think I’m intimidating, but that’s just not true. The networks like NBCUniversal, Bravo, and Evolution – and people like Andy Cohen – are the real power players here. They’re huge organizations that no one controls, and they have a lot more influence than I do. So, the idea that anyone would be afraid of me is usually someone trying to cause trouble or harm my reputation. There was someone who used to do that, and it didn’t end well for them.

Will you be reading Dorit’s book?
Of course I will.

Did you see the cover?
I did.

What do you think?
It was lovely. Really, really pretty.

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2026-05-07 16:11